Save big cats from captivity. Say no to the big cat trade!

Roadside zoos and cub-petting operations – like those seen by millions in Netflix’s "Tiger King" series – are directly contributing to the wildlife trade. And the truth is that many people who love big cats are often unknowing contributors to this trade by taking part in activities like cub-petting and keeping big cats as pets.

Even as their numbers decrease in the wild, unscrupulous cub-petting operations, claiming to be sanctuaries and zoos, continue to reap profits by contributing to big cats' decline. And so do "pet" owners who keep these wild animals in their homes.

Here's why:

Infant cubs are ripped from their mothers and caged for human entertainment. Up to 70% of cheetah cubs — which are increasingly trafficked for the pet trade — die en route before reaching their buyers.

Lions and other cats are increasingly poached for their bones and other body parts, and unregulated big cat ownership makes it nearly impossible to ensure these captive cats aren't filtering into the trade in body parts.

Cubs are ripped from their mothers within days of birth to maximize cub-petting operators' profits. In the wild, on average, cubs will typically stay with their mothers for between one and two years.

Pledge to stand with big cats today — and to never own a big cat or support cub-petting operations. Thank you!

Say no to the big cat trade.

Africa's lions, leopards, and cheetahs are vulnerable to extinction. Pledge to protect them.

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The African Wildlife Foundation is the leading international conservation organization focused solely on Africa. For over 50 years, we have worked to ensure the wildlife and wild lands of Africa will endure forever.